Ireland v New Zealand: Opta stats behind the meeting of the world’s top two

Saturday’s clash between Ireland and New Zealand sees the world’s top two international teams face each other in Dublin, but the history of this fixture is decidedly one-sided.

The All Blacks have won 28 of the 30 matches between these teams, drawing once and losing a famous encounter in Chicago two years ago.

Trips to Dublin have invariably ended in victory for New Zealand, who have restricted Ireland to single figures on 10 of their past 15 visits.

Steve Hansen’s men have won their last five matches in a row and are on a winning run of eight away from home – they have not lost in Europe since a 38-21 defeat to England in December 2012.

If they score 26 points this weekend, the All Blacks will surpass 500 for the third consecutive year, having failed to reach that marker in each of the eight years prior.

However, Ireland have every reason to be confident about their own chances.

Joe Schmidt’s side have won 16 of their past 17 matches, and only three times in that period have they conceded more than 20 points in a single game.

The Six Nations Champions are also on their longest ever winning streak at home, carrying 10 consecutive victories at the Aviva Stadium into the fixture. That said, their last defeat in Dublin came at the hands of New Zealand in November 2016.

– Ireland’s Johnny Sexton (383) is just 14 points shy of eclipsing Ronan O’Gara (396) as the most prolific point scorer at the Aviva Stadium/Lansdowne Road in Test history. – New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett has scored 106 Test points in 2018, the most of any player and one of just two (Handre Pollard, 100) to have reached a century this year. – Irish duo CJ Stander (157) and Bundee Aki (123) have made more carries than any other players in tier one of Test rugby in 2018 while New Zealand’s Rieko Ioane (41) and Ben Smith (38) have beaten the most defenders this year. – Beauden Barrett (8) and Aaron Smith (7) have assisted more tries than any other players in the top tier of Test rugby in 2018.

Congratulations to Aaron Smith who will become the most capped All Blacks halfback in history when he plays his 82 Test match this weekend.

Keohane, a former Springbok Communications Manager, has previously won the SAB Sports Journalist of the Year award, as well as the SAB Sports Columnist of the Year award, SAB Sports News and Match Report Writer of the Year award and SAB Sports Feature Writer of the Year award.

Keo.co.za was named the Sports Blog of the Year at the 2011 SAB Sports Awards and also won the Overall New Media award.

Keo.co.za was also named Sports Blog of the Year for five successive years in the annual SA Blogging Awards.

Keohane is the author of six best-selling rugby books, including Springbok Rugby Uncovered.